13 New Artists to Watch in 2013

Get ready for some exciting music.

Mr MFN Exquire - Brooklyn rapper Mr. MFN Exquire had everyone singing “Huzzah” in 2011, the single from his excellent mixtape Lost in Translation. He signed a deal with Universal/Republic in March and his talent for freaky, shock-and-awe raps, witty visuals and turned-up live shows bodes well for his upcoming full-length album. (Photo: facebook/MrMFNeXquire)
King L - At 24, King L is a relative senior citizen of Chicago’s drill scene, but with age comes maturity, and King’s flow, hooks and ear for beats show more polish and wit than the brute-force music of his younger peers. After a 2012 that included a Kanye shout-out on the “I Don’t Like” remix and two well-received mixtapes, King is ready to drop his major-label debut, Dope & Shrimp, which features Juicy J, Pusha T, Young Chop and more. (Photo: Epic Records)
Troy Ave - Slow and steady wins the race, and it looks like Troy Ave may finally be approaching the finish line. The charismatic Brooklyn rapper has been buzzing since 2006, when his video for "Rep It With My Heart"/"BK, BK" hit BET’s now defunct Rap City. But over the past few years, he’s released a steadily improving series of mixtapes, including his most recent, White Christmas, which features boldfaced names — including Mac Miller, Fabolous, Noreaga, Pusha T and more — and has him riding sky-high into 2013. (Photo: Twitter/TroyAve)

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King L - At 24, King L is a relative senior citizen of Chicago’s drill scene, but with age comes maturity, and King’s flow, hooks and ear for beats show more polish and wit than the brute-force music of his younger peers. After a 2012 that included a Kanye shout-out on the “I Don’t Like” remix and two well-received mixtapes, King is ready to drop his major-label debut, Dope & Shrimp, which features Juicy J, Pusha T, Young Chop and more. (Photo: Epic Records)

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